2020 Tesla Model 3 Owner’s Manual

The 2020 Tesla Model 3 is a big step toward the future of electric transportation. It combines cutting-edge technology, beautiful design, and great speed in a way that has never been done before. The Model 3 gets people’s attention with its sleek and simple design, which is a good example of how form and function can work well together. Underneath its stylish exterior is a high-tech electric engine that gives it thrilling acceleration and a long-range on a single charge, bringing in a new era of environmentally friendly driving. The Model 3’s interior is futuristic and simple, with a big touchscreen in the middle that can be used for entertainment, navigation, and controlling the car. As a symbol of Tesla’s goal to speed up the world’s shift to clean energy, the 2020 Model 3 changes the way people think about driving and shows how electric vehicles can change the way cars are made.

Starting and Powering Off

Starting
When you open a door, Model 3 powers on the touchscreen and you can operate all controls.
To drive Model 3:

1. PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL – Model 3 powers on and is ready to drive.
2. SELECT A GEAR – Move the gear lever all the way down for Drive and all the way up for Reverse. See Shifting Gears on page 56.

Note: If the PIN to Drive feature is enabled (see PIN to Drive on page 143), you must also enter a valid PIN on the touchscreen before you can drive Model 3.
Note: If Passive Entry is off and you do not press the brake pedal to start Model 3 within approximately five minutes, a message displays on the touchscreen and you must use the key to lock then unlock Model 3 again before starting the vehicle.
Everything you need to know when driving Model 3 displays on the touchscreen.

Drive Disabled – Requires Authentication
If Model 3 does not detect a key when you press the brake (an authenticated phone is not detected, or 30 seconds has passed since you used the key card), the touchscreen displays a message telling you that driving requires authentication.
If you see this message, place the key card behind the cup holders on the top of the center console where the RFID transmitter can read it. The 30-second authentication window restarts and you can start Model 3 by pressing the brake pedal.

A number of factors can affect whether Model 3 can detect an authenticated phone (for example, the phone’s battery is low or dead and is no longer able to communicate using Bluetooth).
Always keep your authenticated phone and a key card with you. After driving, your authenticated phone or key card is needed to restart Model 3 after it powers off. And when you leave Model 3, you must bring your authenticated phone or key card with you to lock Model 3, either manually or automatically.

Powering Off
When you finish driving, shift into Park by pressing the button on the end of the gear selector. The parking brake automatically engages and all systems keep operating. When you leave Model 3 with your authenticated phone and key card, it powers off automatically, turning off the touchscreen.
Model 3 also powers off automatically after being in Park for 15 minutes, even if you are sitting in the driver’s seat.
Although usually not needed, you can power off Model 3 while sitting in the driver’s seat, provided the vehicle is not moving. Touch Controls > Safety & Security > Power Off. Model 3 automatically powers back on again if you press the brake pedal or touch the touchscreen.
Note: Model 3 automatically shifts into Park whenever it is determined that you are exiting the vehicle, even when you shift into Neutral before exiting. To keep Model 3 in Neutral, you will need to activate Transport Mode (see Instructions for Transporters on page 199).

Restarting the Touchscreen
If your touchscreen is unresponsive or demonstrates unusual behavior, you can restart it to potentially resolve the issue.
Warning: Only restart the touchscreen while the vehicle is stopped and in Park. The car status display, safety warnings, backup camera, etc. will not be visible during the restart.

1. Shift into Park.
2. Hold down both scroll buttons on the steering wheel until the touchscreen turns black.
3. After a few seconds, the Tesla logo appears. Wait approximately 30 seconds for the touchscreen to restart. If the touchscreen is still unresponsive or demonstrating unusual behavior after a few minutes, try power cycling the vehicle. See Power Cycling the Vehicle on page 55.
   Note: Restarting the touchscreen using the scroll buttons does not power Model 3 off and on.

Power Cycling the Vehicle
If your vehicle demonstrates unusual behavior or a nondescript alert is present, you can try power cycling the vehicle to potentially resolve the issue.

1. Shift into Park.
2. On the touchscreen, touch Controls > Safety & Security > Power Off.
3. Wait for at least two minutes without interacting with the vehicle. Do not open the doors, touch the brake pedal, touch the touchscreen, etc.
4. After two minutes have passed, press the brake pedal or open the door to wake the vehicle.

Gears

Shifting Gears
When Model 3 is in Park, you must press the brake to shift to another gear.
Move the lever up or down to change gears.

If you try to shift into a gear that the current driving speed prohibits, a chime sounds and the gear does not change.

Reverse
Push the lever all the way up and release. You can only shift into Reverse when Model 3 is stopped or moving less than 5 mph (8 km/h). If moving less than 1 mph (1.6 km/h), you must press the brake.

Neutral
Push the lever up or down to the first position and hold it there for more than 1 second to shift into Neutral. Neutral allows Model 3 to roll freely when you are not pressing the brake pedal.
Model 3 automatically shifts into Park when you leave the driver’s seat. To stay in Neutral, use the touchscreen to engage Transport Mode (see Instructions for Transporters on page 199).

Drive
Push the lever all the way down and release. You can shift into Drive when Model 3 is stopped or moving less than 5 mph (8 km/h) in Reverse. If Model 3 is moving less than
1 mph (1.6 km/h), you must press the brake to shift into Drive.
Note: When in Drive, push the lever all the way down and release to enable Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (see Traffic-Aware Cruise Control on page 87). Push the lever all the way down twice in quick succession to enable Autosteer (see Autosteer on page 93).

Park
Press the end of the gear selector while Model 3 is stopped. Whenever Model 3 is in Park, the parking brake is applied.
Model 3 automatically shifts into Park whenever you connect a charge cable or if two or more of the following conditions are met simultaneously while traveling slower than approximately 1.5 mph (2 km/h):

• The driver’s seat belt is unbuckled.
• The occupancy sensor in the driver’s seat does not detect an occupant.
• The driver’s door is opened.
  Note: The above conditions do not reflect a comprehensive list of reasons why Model 3 may or may not automatically shift into Park and, in certain scenarios, it is possible for your vehicle to shift into Park when only one of the above conditions is true.
  Warning: In emergency situations, if the brakes are not functioning properly, press and hold the Park button on the gear selector to bring the vehicle to a stop. Do not use this method to stop the vehicle unless absolutely necessary.
  Warning: It is the driver’s responsibility to always ensure the vehicle is in Park before exiting. Never rely on Model 3 to automatically shift into Park for you; it might not work in all circumstances (for example, if Creep or a slope causes the vehicle to travel greater than approximately 1.5 mph (2 km/h)).
  To make it convenient to pick up passengers, you can also unlock all doors at any time by shifting into Park then pressing the Park button a second time.

Car Status

Driving Status
When Model 3 is driving (or ready to drive), the touchscreen shows your current driving status and a real-time visualization of the road as detected by the Autopilot components (see About Autopilot on page 84). The visualization automatically zooms in and out to better utilize touchscreen space and inform you when a vehicle is detected in your blind spot.
Note: The following illustration is provided for demonstration purposes only. Depending on vehicle options, software version, and market region, the information displayed may be slightly different.

1. Driving speed.
2. On the energy bar, black (or white in night brightness) represents energy being used during acceleration and green indicates energy being gained through regenerative braking. A dashed line appears on the energy bar when power available for acceleration or power that can be gained by regenerative braking is being limited. Model 3 limits power for many reasons. Here are just a few examples:
   • Acceleration may be limited when the Battery is reaching a low state of charge or if the powertrain is hot.
   • Both acceleration and regenerative braking may be limited when the ambient temperature is either very warm or cool.
   • Regenerative braking may be limited when the Battery is fully charged.
3. Currently selected gear: Park, Reverse, Neutral, or Drive.
4. Autosteer (if equipped). When Autosteer is available but you haven’t activated it, the icon is gray. When Autosteer is actively steering Model 3, the icon is blue.
5. The car in front of you (if applicable).
6. Your Model 3. Colored lines radiate from the image of your Model 3 as objects are detected (other motorists, guard rails, etc.). The location of the lines correspond to the location of the detected object. The color of the lines (white, yellow, orange, or red) represents the object’s proximity to Model 3, with white being the farthest and red being very close and requiring your immediate attention. See Lane Assist on page 108.
7. When Autosteer is active (if equipped) and detecting the driving lane, the lane is highlighted in blue (see Autosteer on page 93).
8. Total estimated driving distance (or energy) available. Instead of driving distance, you can display the percentage of battery energy remaining. To do so, touch Controls > Display > Energy Display > Energy (see Controls on page 116).
   Note: When anticipating when you need to charge, use range estimates as a general guideline only.
9. The detected speed limit (see Speed Assist on page 114)
10. The set cruising speed. When Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (if equipped) is available but you haven’t set a cruising speed, the icon is gray and the speed is not shown (see Traffic-Aware Cruise Control on page 87).
    Warning: Pay attention to important alert messages that display on the car status window. Ignoring these messages can result in serious injury or death. Warning: Although the touchscreen shows surrounding traffic, some vehicles may not be displayed. Never rely on the touchscreen to determine if a vehicle is present (for example, in your blind spot). Always use your mirrors and perform shoulder checks.

FAQ